Faucet having extendable aerator

ABSTRACT

A faucet includes an aerator including a projection; a coupling member including a protrusion, a cavity engaging the projection, and a stud; a spout including a well for receiving the protrusion, and an aperture for receiving the stud; a mounting component releasably secured to the spout and including a side extension, a thermostatic mixing valve in the side extension, a fastening member secured to the thermostatic mixing valve, and a handle releasably secured to the fastening member; a hot and cold water passages pipe in the mounting component and including an outlet passage and two inlet passages all in fluid communication with the thermostatic mixing valve; a tube member having one end in fluid communication with the outlet passage; and a spout tube having one end in fluid communication with the other end of the tube member and the other end in fluid communication with the aerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to faucets and more particularly to a faucet withimproved characteristics including extendable aerator.

2. Description of Related Art

A conventional faucet having a one-piece spout tube comprises upper andlower shells, the upper and lower shells adapted to form a spout body; acartridge seat; a spout tube adapted to be secured to the upper shell;and an aerator adapted to interface with the upper shell, the aeratorincluding a threaded portion for interfacing with a complementarythreaded portion in the upper shell. The spout tube is adapted tointerface with the cartridge seat so that the spout tube and thecartridge seat are in fluid communication. Interfacing the spout tubewith the cartridge seat is adapted to secure the spout tube to the uppershell. Interfacing the aerator with the upper shell is adapted tofurther secure the spout tube to the upper shell.

Notwithstanding the prior art, the invention is neither taught norrendered obvious thereby.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a faucetcomprising an aerator comprising a projection; a hollow coupling membercomprising a protrusion at one end, a cavity for complimentarilyengaging the projection, and a stud distal both the protrusion and thecavity; a spout comprising a well at one end for complimentarilyreceiving the protrusion, and an aperture for complimentarily receivingthe stud; a hollow mounting component releasably secured to the otherend of the spout and comprising a hollow side extension, a thermostaticmixing valve disposed in the side extension, a fastening member securedto the thermostatic mixing valve, and a handle releasably secured to thefastening member for controlling the thermostatic mixing valve; a hotand cold water passages pipe partially disposed in the mountingcomponent by securing to the side extension of the mounting component,the hot and cold water passages pipe being further releasably secured toa deck and comprising an outlet passage in fluid communication with thethermostatic mixing valve, and two inlet passages each in fluidcommunication with the thermostatic mixing valve; cold and hot watertubes connected to the inlet passages respectively; a tube member havingone end in fluid communication with the outlet passage; a check valvedisposed in the other end of the tube member; and a spout tube havingone end in fluid communication with the other end of the tube member andthe other end in fluid communication with the aerator by passing the hotand cold water passages pipe and passing through both the mountingcomponent and the spout; wherein both hot water flows through the hotwater tube and cold water flows through the cold water tube to arrive atthe thermostatic mixing valve for blending prior to flowing to theaerator via the outlet passage, the tube member, the check valve, andthe spout tube.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description taken withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of most components of a faucet assemblyaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hot and cold water passages pipe;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a tube member, a check valve, and aconnector at one end of a spout tube;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a spout, a coupling member, and anaerator;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the coupling member;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation in part section showing the tube member to beconnected to the outlet passage of the hot and cold water passages pipe;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing the tube member fastened at theoutlet passage of the hot and cold water passages pipe;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation in part section showing the hot and coldwater tubes to be connected to the inlet passages of the hot and coldwater passages pipe respectively;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view showing the hot and cold water tubes fastenedat the inlet passages of the hot and cold water passages piperespectively;

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the hot and cold watertubes communicating with the inlet passages of the hot and cold waterpassages pipe respectively after being fastened;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along a line indicated by two arrowsof FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view showing reverse flow beingstopped at the check valve;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 12 showing water from the tube memberflowing to the spout tube via the open check valve;

FIGS. 14, 15, 16 and 17 are perspective views showing steps ofinstalling the faucet assemble on a deck by using a C-shaped, internallythreaded fastener;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the faucet assembly mounted on thedeck;

FIG. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of the faucet assembly of FIG.18;

FIG. 20 is a view of the lower and intermediate portions of the faucetassemble of FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is view of the upper portion of the faucet assemble of FIG. 19showing a disengagement of the aerator from the spout;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view showing the aerator being pulled a shortdistance out of the spout; and

FIG. 23 is a longitudinal sectional view of the faucet assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 23, a faucet assembly in accordance with theinvention comprises the following components as discussed in detailbelow.

An aerator 3A comprises a projection 3A1. A hollow coupling member 3comprises a protrusion 31 at one end, a cavity 34 opposing theprotrusion 31 adapted to complimentarily engaged with the projection3A1, and a stud 32 distal both the protrusion 31 and the cavity 34. Aspout 23 comprises a well 231 at one end adapted to complimentarilyreceive the protrusion 31, and an aperture 232 distal the well 231adapted to complimentarily receive the stud 32. Thus, the aerator 3A canbe attached to one end of the flexible spout 23 by engaging theprojection 3A1 with the cavity 34, engaging the protrusion 31 with thewell 231, and inserting the stud 32 into the aperture 232.

A first mounting component 21 is a hollow body and comprises a topexternally threaded extension 211, a horizontal extension 212, athermostatic mixing valve 24 having one end disposed in the extension212, an internally threaded sleeve 25 partially disposed around theother end of the thermostatic mixing valve 24, a threaded nut 26 tightlyput on the other end of the thermostatic mixing valve 24 and secured tothe sleeve 25, a fastening member 27 secured to the other end of thethermostatic mixing valve 24 and partially put on the sleeve 25, and ahandle 28 threaded secured to the fastening member 27.

An internally threaded second mounting component 22 is provided tofasten the extension 211 and an externally threaded portion at the otherend of the spout 23 together. An oval escutcheon 1A comprises a centralhole 1A1 aligned with a through hole 1B1 on a deck 1B. On the bottom ofthe deck 1B there are provided two internally threaded holes 1D. Twothreaded fasteners 1C are driven through the deck 1B to threadedlysecure to the threaded holes 1D so as to fasten the escutcheon 1A on thedeck 1B. A hollow, elongated hot and cold water passages pipe 4 isdisposed through the hole 1A1 and the hole 1B1 and comprises ahorizontal externally threaded extension 41 at one end and having anopening 411, a groove 45 of curved cross-section along the main body ofthe hot and cold water passages pipe 4, intermediate external threads 44of C shaped cross-section, an outlet passage 43 having one end connectedto the thermostatic mixing valve 24, two inlet passages 42 each havingone end connected to the thermostatic mixing valve 24, and two throughholes 46 at the other end of the hot and cold water passages pipe 4 inwhich one through hole 46 communicates with the outlet passage 43 andthe other through hole 46 communicates with the inlet passages 42.

Cold and hot water tubes 9 are connected to the other ends of the inletpassages 42 respectively. A tube member 6 comprises a blind hole 61proximate one end and external threads 62 at the other end. A checkvalve 7 is mounted in the other end of the tube member 6. A first pinfastener 4A is inserted through one through hole 46 into the blind hole61 to fasten the tube member 6 and the hot and cold water passages pipe4 together. A second pin fastener 4B is inserted through the otherthrough hole 46 beween one ends of the cold and hot water tubes 9 intothe hot and cold water passages pipe 4 and the tube member 6 to fastenthe cold and hot water tubes 9 and the hot and cold water passages pipe4 together. A spout tube 8 comprises an internally threaded connector 81at one end threadedly secured to the external threads 62 and anenlargement 8A proximate the connector 81. A C-shaped, internallythreaded fastener 5 has its opening 51 put on the spout tube 8 and issecured to the threads 44 to fasten the spout tube 8 and the hot andcold water passages pipe 4 together. A portion of the spout tube 8extends from the position of the fastener 51 to connect to the aerator3A after passing through the groove 45 and the hollow spout 23.

Hot water from a hot water source may flow through the hot one of thecold and hot water tubes 9 and one of the inlet passages 42 to arrive atthe thermostatic mixing valve 24. Also, cold water from a cold watersource may flow through the cold one of the cold and hot water tubes 9and the other one of the inlet passages 42 to arrive at the thermostaticmixing valve 24. A person may manipulate the handle 28 to adjust thethermostatic mixing valve 24 which in turn can blend hot water with coldwater to let mixed water flow to the outlet passage 43. The outletpassage 3 communicates with the tube member 6 which in turn communicateswith the spout tube 8 via the check valve 7. Finally, water having adesired temperature leaves the aerator 3A.

It is envisaged by the invention that the person may disengage thecoupling member 3 from the spout 23 by inserting a pointing tool intothe aperture 232 to disengage the stud 32 from the aperture 232.Thereafter, the person may pull the aerator 3A a short distance. Thisenables the person to conveniently use water leaving the aerator 3A to,for example, clean portions of a sink farther from the normal positionof the aerator 3A (i.e., at the opening of the spout 23).

While the invention has been described in terms of preferredembodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the inventioncan be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A faucet comprising: an aerator comprising aprojection; a hollow coupling member comprising a protrusion at one end,a cavity for complimentarily engaging the projection, and a stud distalboth the protrusion and the cavity; a spout comprising a well at one endfor complimentarily receiving the protrusion, and an aperture forcomplimentarily releasably receiving the stud; a hollow mountingcomponent releasably secured to the other end of the spout andcomprising a hollow side extension, a thermostatic mixing valve disposedin the side extension, a fastening member secured to the thermostaticmixing valve, and a handle releasably secured to the fastening memberfor controlling the thermostatic mixing valve; a hot and cold waterpassages pipe partially disposed in the mounting component by securingto the side extension of the mounting component, the hot and cold waterpassages pipe being further releasably secured to a deck and comprisingan outlet passage in fluid communication with the thermostatic mixingvalve, and two inlet passages each in fluid communication with thethermostatic mixing valve; a cold water tube connected to one of theinlet passages; a hot water tube connected to the other inlet passage; atube member having one end in fluid communication with the outletpassage; a check valve disposed in the other end of the tube member; anda spout tube having one end in fluid communication with the other end ofthe tube member and the other end in fluid communication with theaerator by passing the hot and cold water passages pipe and passingthrough both the mounting component and the spout; wherein both hotwater flows through the hot water tube and cold water flows through thecold water tube to arrive at the thermostatic mixing valve for blendingprior to flowing to the aerator via the outlet passage, the tube member,the check valve, and the spout tube.